Orthodontic flosser

Abstract

A flosser is described that includes a take-up spool for winding a plurality of layers of used floss, a shell for forming a chamber around the take-up spool and enclosing the plurality of layers of used floss windings within the chamber, and helical grooves disposed in an inner surface of the shell for preventing jamming of the take-up spool by accumulated floss windings. The flosser further includes a retie assembly having a groove disposed in a fin for trapping floss against a take-up aperture upon alignment of the groove and aperture, and for urging floss into take-up aperture and wrapping the floss around the take-up spool as the fin rotates further.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A retiable flosser comprising:
 a shaft including a head for supporting floss, the shaft further including spring forks; 
 a source spool disposed on the shaft, the source spool for dispensing floss to the head; 
 a take-up assembly disposed on the shaft, the take-up assembly including:
 a take-up spool for collecting used floss; 
 a knob coupled to the take-up spool and configured to rotate the take-up spool for advancing used floss, the knob and spring forks forming a ratchet assembly for biasing direction of rotation of the take-up assembly, and 
 a retie assembly disposed between the knob and the take-up spool and coupled to the take-up spool and knob, the retie assembly comprising:
 a first and second fin, and 
 a retie groove disposed in the first and second fins, the retie groove configured for wrapping and securing an end of broken floss about the first fin; and 
 
 
 a cylindrical shell for enclosing the source spool and the take-up spool, the shell including a take-up aperture adjacent the second fin and proximate the take-up spool, while the end of the floss is secured to the first fin, the second fin and retie groove being configured to urge a portion of the secured floss into the take-up aperture as the knob rotates the retie groove into alignment with the take-up aperture, and as the knob continues to rotate the retie assembly, the take-up aperture being further configured bend the portion of the secured floss around the second fin at the retie groove and wrap the floss around the take-up spool. 
 
     
     
       2. The flosser of  claim 1 , wherein the second fin includes an angle in the retie groove for trapping the floss between the second fin and the take-up groove. 
     
     
       3. The flosser of  claim 1 , wherein the shell includes helical grooves disposed in an inner surface of the shell. 
     
     
       4. The flosser of  claim 1 , wherein the groove in the first fin is aligned with the groove in the second fin. 
     
     
       5. The flosser of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a prong disposed on the shaft for inserting floss between a tooth and a brace wire attached to the tooth; 
 a guide disposed on the shaft for supporting the floss; and 
 a button for releasing the source spool to release tension on the floss. 
 
     
     
       6. The flosser of  claim 1 , further comprising a seal between the source spool and the take-up spool. 
     
     
       7. The flosser of  claim 1 , further comprising a seal between the source spool and the take-up spool, the seal comprising
 a bearing disposed between the source spool and the take-up spool and configured to form an interference fit around a portion of the shaft; 
 a chamber for collecting water from the source spool; and 
 a drain hole for releasing the water. 
 
     
     
       8. A flosser comprising:
 a take-up spool for winding a plurality of layers of used floss; 
 a shell for forming a chamber around the take-up spool and enclosing the plurality of layers of used floss windings around the take-up spool within the chamber; and 
 helical grooves disposed in an inner surface of the shell, the helical grooves configured for urging a top layer of the floss windings along the take-up spool as the take-up spool rotates with respect to the shell, thereby preventing jamming of the take-up spool by the floss windings. 
 
     
     
       9. The flosser of  claim 8 , further comprising a knob coupled to the take-up spool and external to the shell, the knob configured for rotating the take-up spool. 
     
     
       10. The flosser of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a knob coupled to the take-up spool and external to the shell, the knob including external splines and configured for rotating the take-up spool; and 
 a cap including internal splines configured to align with the external splines of knob for applying torque to the knob. 
 
     
     
       11. The flosser of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a take-up aperture disposed in the shell proximate the take-up spool; 
 a knob external to the shell; 
 a fin disposed between the knob and the take-up spool, the knob coupled to the fin and the take-up spool for rotating the fin and the take-up spool; and 
 a groove disposed in the fin, the fin and groove configured for trapping the floss against the take-up aperture as the groove aligns with the take-up aperture, the fin configured for urging floss into take-up aperture as the knob rotates the fin; and the take-up aperture configured to admit floss for wrapping around the take-up spool as the knob further rotates the fin. 
 
     
     
       12. The flosser of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a take-up aperture disposed in the shell proximate the take-up spool; 
 a knob external to the shell; 
 a fin disposed between the knob and the take-up spool, the knob coupled to the fin and the take-up spool for rotating the fin and the take-up spool; and 
 a groove disposed in the fin, the fin and groove configured for trapping the floss against the take-up aperture as the groove aligns with the take-up aperture, and for urging floss into take-up aperture as the knob rotates the fin. 
 
     
     
       13. The flosser of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a head for suspending floss, the head including
 a prong for inserting floss between a tooth and a brace wire attached to the tooth, and 
 a guide for supporting the floss; 
 
 a source spool for providing source floss to the head, the take-up spool further configured to apply tension to the floss; and 
 a button for releasing the source spool to release tension on the floss.